Bring Home the Gold, Silver or Bronze: Metallics at Home

Michael Phelp's is fast closing in on Mark Spitz's 36 year old record of seven Olympic gold medals and Nastia Liukin and Shawn John have won gold and silver medals in the individual all-around. But, if even if you're not an Olympic class swimmer or gymnast , you can bring home a little gold, silver or bronze to decorate your own home without ever lifting a muscle. Here's how to do it without "going Liberace"...

Bling it down: Like the precious metals they are, use metallics with a light hand and a sense of humour. They're best as accent pieces, whether in a lamp, a small table or a box.

Warm or cool?: Keep your metals within the same family. Gold and bronze, with their yellow, red and orange tones are warm; silver is usually cool and blue, as are pewter and platinum, stainless and chrome.

Hardware: Chances are, metallic accents have already found a place in your home. Curtain rods, door handles, recessed lighting and hinges are all items that are probably metal. If it's within your control, try to keep these within the same colour family, warm or cool.

Accents: with the prevalence of metallics on everything from chairs to pillows, it's a good time to experiment. Try a silver accent pillow on your all white bed, aluminum chairs around your wooden table or silver tiles behind your bathtub. One of our favorite looks, mixing a chrome and glass coffee table with an antique sofa, instantly brings both pieces into sharp focus.

On the walls: Even if you're unsure about painting an entire room bright gold or silver, muted metallics on an accent wall can create an instant focal point -- behind a bed, to set off a work space, to highlight a stunning view. Our favorite way to use metallics on the wall? Try paints with pearlescent or metallic effects. White with a silvery or gold sheen can literally make a room sparkle. Wallpaper with metallic effects can turn a drab room into a jewel box.